Tied Together with a Smile
by IHKF
Summary: Ai just can't stand seeing Conan hurt her best friend like this. Ai and Ayumi friendship. Some ConanxAyumi fluff. I DO NOT OWN DC OR TAYLOR SWIFT!


_**Seems the only one who doesn't see your beauty...**_

Ayumi Yoshida washed her face one last time before looking up at her fourteen year-old face. Her eyes narrowed at her refelection and she raised her hand to touch her cheek.

_**...is the face in the mirror looking back at you.**_

Ai Haibara sat on her bed, watching her frien'ds self esteem issues cloud her mind again. She sighed and gave her a symphathetic look. She knew how it felt to look in the mirror and hate what you saw.

"Ayumi-chan. We're going to be late for school." Gasping, the brunette glanced at her watch and blushed. "Th-thanks, Ai-chan. I'm sorry." She quickly pulled her bookbag up and grabbed her cellphone, making sure it was off. "Le'ts hurry!" Ai could only smile at her frien'ds fake moodswing and pick up her own bag, hurrying as well.

_**You walk around here thinking you're not pretty...**_

"Took you guys long enough." Conan Edogawa mumbled in disagreence with the females, glaring at them. "What takes you guys so long in the morning, anyways?" Mitsuhiko and Genta turned towards them as well, obviously wanting an explanation. Ayumi blushed a little and looked towards the ground. "Ayumi could'nt find her cell." Ai quickly covered, knowing fully well how Ayumi's face-checks embaressed her immensly. Conan's glare deepened but he only shrugged and walked away. Ayum turned to Ai and gave her a silent thank you. All Ai did in return was give her a gentle smile.

_**...but that's not true, cause I know you...**_

A small weeping sound came from the end of the staircase, something Ai could'nt stand hearing.

Especially knowing who it was coming from...

Ai circled the corner stealthily to see Ayumi cradled on the last step of the stairs, crying.

An expression of compassion feilded Ai's face as she watched her friend sit and cry there, all alone.

_**Hold on, baby you're losing it.**_

_**The water's high, you're jumping into it**_

_**and letting go...and no one knows**_

Allowing herself to completly come out, Haibara silently approached the shaking girl. Ayumi was aware of her presence, she knew that much by the attempt to pipe down. Shaking her head back and forth, she sat down beside her, taking her into her arms like a mother.

"Shh, you need to let it all out, Ayumi-chan." She whispered, earning whimpers and more tears from her depressed companion.

_**You cry, but you don't tell anyone**_

_**that you might not be the golden one**_

Feeling that enough was enough, Ayumi pulled back, smiling at Ai.

That smile was fake, she knew it.

"Thank you, Ai-chan."

Once again all she got was a gentle smile.

_**and you're tied together with a smile**_

_**but you're coming undone...**_

Ai sighed and leaned on a snow-covered bench.

She swore Ayumi was like something out of a fairytail book...

Ayumi stood there on the sidewalk across the way from her, handing out home-made fruitcakes to each and every orphan that came across her path. Some tried to fool her and gain an extra one by walking by twice, but Ayumi noticed and wagged her finger at them with a small smile on her face.

_**I guess it's true that love was all you wanted**_

_**cause you're giving it away like it's extra change**_

Conan was sitting beside her, smiling a little at the scene. Noticing she was done, Ayumi made her way back over to the two of them, a now-rare-occasion genuine smile on her face. "Ready to move on to the hospital, guys?" She asked. Conan's smile turned into a nervouse one. He was sighing as he got up. "Yeah, I guess. Just don't take as long this time. Me and Ai were done handing out our share of treats twenty minutes before you were done."

_**hoping it will end up in his pocket**_

That's when Ayumi's real smile turned as fake as an unprofessional copied diamond again. "Oh yes, of course." She hurried to catch up, walking right next to him. Ai got up from her spot lazily and started to follow...

...noticing Ayumi reach for Conan's hand...

_**but he leaves you out like a penny in the rain**_

...only to have him pull it away.

Ai felt her heart plunge as even Ayumi's fake smile make a hasty exit off of her face. Then she looked towards Conan to see his reaction, only to take note that he was wearing the same expression he had only minutes ago, seconds even.

Ayumi looked down as she walked, slowing down a bit as to be closer to Ai and only a little bit further from Conan.

Ai could only shake her head and give Ayumi that gentle smile yet again, letting her know everything was going to be alright.

Ayumi gave her that fake smile right back.

_**oh, cause it's not his price to pay**_

_**not his price to pay...**_

"Ayumi-chan. We need to talk."

Ayumi looked up from the bottom of the same exact staircase she had been crying at the end of a few days ago. "Ai-chan what is it?"

"Conan-kun."

Oh how Ai dreaded the horror that came to her best frien'ds face.

"Conan-kun? What about Conan-kun? Is he okay? Is he hurt?"

Haibara let out a sigh. "No, no he's just fine..."

Then she added, "...but you aren't."

Ayumi didn't deny. She didn't lie. She didn't change the subject. She didn't even blink. "No, no I'm not." Ai took a seat beside her, focusing on her face.

_**Hold on, baby you're losing it.**_

_**The water's high, you're jumping into it**_

_**and letting go...and no one knows**_

"Conan-kun isn't worth your time Ayumi. All he's going to do is hurt you."

Ayumi pretended to listen, but you can't fool Ai Haibara. "Ayumi, pay attention to me. Pay attention to what I'm saying. This love you have for him is emotional suicide." And she hated to say it-

"He doesn't care about you."

That really snapped Ayumi. The tears started to roll down her cheeks again and blood was rushing to the same place. But the mosy uncommon thing was on her face once more...

...a real, gentle smile. Just like the one she'd been giving her.

_**You cry, but you don't tell anyone**_

_**that you might not be the golden one**_

_**and you're tied together with a smile**_

_**but you're coming undone...**_

"Ai-chan...thank you so much." A real smile came over both the girls' faces as they shared a hug. "You're always here for me. Thank you."

It was then that Ai Haibara did more than give her a gente smile.

"I'll always be here, Ayumi-chan. You can count on me."

_**You're tied together with a smile**_

_**but you're coming undone...oh**_

_**goodbye, baby**_

_**goobye, baby**_

Conan Edogawa watched the two girls from behind the wall where Ai had lurked just a few days ago. "How wrong you are, Haibara." With that, he smirked and slung his bookbag over his shoulder, walking off.

_**with a smile, baby, baby.**_


End file.
